RANGER REPORT & FEB. 6 (Bob Marley's 60th Birthday)

"In art, and in the higher ranges of science, there is a feeling of harmony which underlies all endeavor. There is no true greatness in art or science without that sense of harmony."
-Albert Einstein, on the connection between music and mathematics

"Albert Einstein played the violin with some enthusiasm. He once played for Gregor Piatigorsky, the distinguished cellist, and he asked him: "How well did I play?" Piatgorsky replied: "You played "relatively" well."
-Robert Giddings, Musical Quotes and Anecdotes

This is the first Ranger Report of 2005. I feel it's a good time to wish everyone a happy new year and welcome you to our 20th year of musical merriment.
The holiday season was eventful. Our Christmas show on Dec. 16 at Rising Sun (formerly The Bell House) in Telford, PA broke all their attendance records. Ex-Hooter Andy King performed a mini-set with us that shook the floor boards.
A week later (Dec. 23) we played our Christmas show at The Drafting Room in Spring House, PA. International song-writer Andrew Roblin, sat in on banjo and vocals for a few tunes. The whole evening was recorded by Uncle Ronkle.
Speaking of Uncle Ronkle, he is in the process of putting together a "Best&Of-2004" CD featuring the best tracks from last year's live recordings.
Speaking of recordings, we are about to re-enter producer David Ivory's Dylanava Studios in Blue Bell, PA this month to put the finishing touches on eight songs we recorded there last year.
The New Year's Eve show was bittersweet. We did a double-bill with Townhall at Crazy Carl's and the place was packed, but it was to be our last show with Tim "T.C." Campbell. Everyone here at Los Manatees wishes Timmy all the best in the future.
Our current drummer situation is being taken care of by three different stick-men. Myles Rothwell will be playing all of our Thursday shows. As I begin to write my next solo album, these "Thursdays with Myles" will be a chance to work on material. Ritchie DeCarlo will also be playing drums on certain gigs. The rest of the dates will be done by new-comer Ras Michael Shaeffer. Michael is a seasoned performer who has played with many artists including Inner Circle. We welcome him to the insanatees.
Michael was brought to our attention by some-time Manatee bassist, Jim Kleinman. Jim was playing with the reggae band Christafari when he met Michael but now he plays with The Mississippi Pig Farmers. They are a regional act that sounds like a mixture of Allman Bros. and Govt. Mule. You can check them out at www.mississippipigfarmers.com Thanks for the help Jim.
Los Manatees keyboardist Karl Frick remains busy. Karl has more side projects than anyone else in the band. He has almost completed the live CD we recorded at Pete's Barn on Labor Day 2004. He also just won a new 12-string acoustic guitar from an on-line contest he entered. Karl will also be opening for B.B. King when he plays with The Eric Steckle Band at Trenton College. (This will be the third time that Karl has opened for a B.B. King show.)
Some-time Manatee guitarist/vocalist Bob Tomlinson (AKA Tom Boblinson, Bob T., Beatle Bob, El Kabonghit) was invited on stage to sing with Livingston Taylor and sister Kate at their Feb. 4th show at the Stephen J. Buck Theater in New Hope, PA. (This was the second time that Bob has sung with Livingston.)
Cherri, the Manatee merchandise maiden, showed up at the office the other day with a stack of new Manatee fridge magnets. Get em' while they last. (This is the first time that we've had our own fridge magnets.)
At our Whitpain Tavern shows in Center Square, PA we've been joined on stage by a German alto saxophonist named Katarina. Kat is a pleasure to play with and even teamed up with long-time Manatee tenor/soprano sax man Bebop Bull Brunner at our Jan. 15 Tex-Mex show in North Wales, PA. Double saxes!
Bud "Beefbone" Burroughs played mandolin and guitar with us at our Jan. 29 show at Finn McCool's in Hatfeild, PA. Finn's is under new management and showing signs of new life. "Beefbone" plays with the bluegrass group Hippies and Hillbillies and can be reached at www.hippiesandhillbillies.com
Negotiations are now underway for a Los Manatees tour of England. Our band representative Annie Fanelli is leaving for London next week armed with a suitcase full of CDs, posters, bumper stickers, (and new fridge magnets). Good luck Annie! (Several years ago we were offered a month-long residence in a Copenhagen club but we turned it down.)
Manatee web-master Michael Jones wants you to know that the www.mightymanatees.com address is back up and running. For a while it was only possible to visit our web-site by www.losmanatees.com (Both addresses take you to the same site.) Michael Jones and his family just got a new dog. It's a full-bred Apricot Standard Poodle. His name is Kai.
Well that's just about all the news that's fit to print.

And now, here is your song-of-the-month:

LEFT-HANDED MAN & key of A

I make my living strumming on a six-string
But I had to learn to play it upside-down
Because when I was just a lad,
One guitar was all we had,
And there were no left-handed ones around

Yet before you knew it, I was really taking to it
You don't get self-taught by going to schools
I might've broke a few more strings
But when this here lefty sings
It's living proof that you can break the rules

I'm a left-handed man, in a right-handed world
I'm a left-handed man, in a right-handed world
Got myself a right-handed girl

Righty said, "Man, we don't understand.
You ain't supposed to play it that way.
It's a bit hard to follow. It's a bit hard to swallow.
Didn't anybody ever set you straight??"

I just make it up as I go, I'm a southpaw y' know
From the other side of the brain
If everybody drove on the right side of the road
We wouldn't need a passing lane

I'm a left-handed man, in a right-handed world
I'm a left-handed man, in a right-handed world
Got myself a right-handed girl

Leonardo Da Vinci, and Michelangelo,
Martin Luther King, and Pablo Picasso,
Benjamin Franklin, and did you know
That even Albert Einstein, I'm telling you so

They were left-handed men, in a right-handed world
I'm a left-handed man, in a right-handed world
Got myself a right-handed girl

I'm a left-handed man with a right-handed girl


Words and Music-W. Hodgson
Copyright 2005 Hungadunga Music


MARCH 2005

2-Wed-Whitpain Tavern-electrio 9:30-1:30
3-Thurs-Blue Horse-acoustrio 9-12
4-Fri-Crazy Carl's w/ opening act Combination Standpipe-La Banda Grande w/Rhino Horns 10:30-2:00
5-Sat-The Funhouse-electric quartet 10:30-2:00
9-Wed-Appetites On Main St.-acoustrio 8:30-12:30
10-Thurs-Rising Sun-acoustrio 9:30-1:30
11-Fri-Cloud Nine-electric quartet 9:30-1:30
12-Sat-P.T. Saloon-electrio- 9:30-1:30
16-Wed-Whitpain Tavern-electrio 9:30-1:30
17-Thurs-Blue Horse-acoustrio 9-12
18-Fri-Dutch Cottage-electrio 10:00-2:00
19-Sat-Conshohocken Rib-House 9:30-1:30
23-Wed-Appetites On Main St.-acoustrio 8:30-12:30
24-Thurs-Rising Sun-acoustrio 9:30-1:30
25-Fri-Blue Dog Saloon- quartet w/Bob T. 10:00-2:00
26-Sat-Scoogies-acoustrio 9-1
30-Wed-Whitpain Tavern-electrio 9:30-1:30
31-Thurs-Blue Horse-acoustrio 9-12

February 2005

Wed. Feb. 02 - Whitpain Tavern - Electrio - 9:00-1:00 - w/ Ras Michael Shaeffer on drums (Groundhog Day)
Thu. Feb. 03 - The Blue Horse - Trio - 9:00-12:00 - w/ Myles Rothwell on drums
Fri. Feb. 04 - Draught Horse - Trio - 4:30-7:30 - w/ Joe Rizzo on guitar/vocals
Fri. Feb. 04 - Crazy Carl's - 5 Piece - 10:00-2:00 - La Banda Grande w/ The Rhino Horns & Michael on drums
Sat. Feb. 05 - The Funhouse - Quartet - 10:00-2:00 - w/ Karl Frick on keys and Ras Michael on drums
Wed. Feb. 09 - Appetites On Main - Trio - 9:00-1:00 - w/ Ras Michael
Thu. Feb. 10 - The Rising Sun - Trio - 9:00-1:00 - w/ Myles on drums
Fri. Feb. 11 - The Wagon Wheel - Quartet - 10:00-2:00 - w/ Karl on keys and Ras Michael on drums
Sat. Feb. 12 - P. T. Saloon - Electrio - 9:00-1:00 - w/ Ritchie DeCarlo on drums
Wed. Feb. 16 - Whitpain Tavern - Electrio - 9:00-1:00 - w/ Ras Michael on drums
Thu. Feb. 17 - The Blue Horse - Trio - 9:00-12:00 - w/ Myles on drums
Fri. Feb. 18 - Finn McCool Tavern - Duo - 5:00-8:00 - Will & Randy
Fri. Feb. 18 - Dutch Cottage Tavern - Electrio - 10:00-2:00 - w/ Ras Michael on drums
Sat. Feb. 19 - Molettieres - Quartet - 9:00-1:00 - w/ Karl on keys and Ritchie on drums
Wed. Feb. 23 - Appetites On Main - Trio - 8:30-12:30 - w/ Ras Michael on drums
Thu. Feb. 24 - The Rising Sun - Trio - 9:00-1:00 - w/ Myles on drums
Fri. Feb. 25 - La Taverna - Trio - 9:00-1:00 - w/ Myles on drums
Sat. Feb. 26 - Tex-Mex Connection - Trio - 9:00-1:00 - w/ Ras Michael on drums